The Hon. Dilith Jayaweera

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I thought I had ten minutes. Let me speak briefly taking into account the historic election result and the societal discourse after it.

¶ 02 We, “Sarvajana Bala” (People’s Power), say this without arrogance: among the local bodies we contested, we received close to 40 percent of the vote. To me, that is the key historic observation. How did the NPP come to power? From 3 percent to nearly a two-thirds majority in Parliament—the risks the people took are known. They ignored 76 years of failed politics—including your 57 years of harmful participation, two insurrections, thousands dead, the Temple of the Tooth attack, bombing Parliament, pushing ragging, and damaging education—and took a bold decision for change.

¶ 03 I invite the NPP leadership, including the Hon. Prime Minister, to read this people’s aspiration correctly. Do not reinterpret it. Otherwise, there is no benefit to our beloved motherland or to the poor and innocent who sent this message because they had no other way to speak. Compared to the general election, about one-third of your own prior voters voted against you this time—read that too.

¶ 04 I stand for principled political change. However much you attack me or try to tether me to the old politics, I will strive to correct the system and guide positive change. I hope you will be allowed to carry the country forward; we will keep you in a constructive dialogue. Use your power to end the fake-comment culture and shallow mudslinging.

¶ 05 Use it to have a frank national conversation about the real economic crisis, national security, and the cultural and civilizational challenges we face. You cannot hide truth behind religious pageantry. The people deserve the truth. The essential change they want is honesty.

¶ 06 We must build a society that speaks truth about living costs and hardship. We cannot go forward on falsehoods. By 2028 we must find Rs. 150 billion; we keep raising salaries without increasing revenue. We must face economic reality. We are not creating new wealth. Without an enterprise-state mindset, without managing revenue and expenditure properly, and without creating new value, celebrating World Bank loans on social media only shows how far we have fallen. Tell even your own fake-comment brigades to stop. Let us move to a positive discourse and society. That is what we must do. Thank you.